Issues

2014

Jobs and the economy: "I support reforming the tax code by closing corporate loopholes that never sunset or lead to job creation. I support tax credits for businesses based on creating jobs here at home – not overseas. I believe in fair trade policies that acknowledge our nation’s high standards for worker safety, wages and benefits and that don’t surrender the interests of U.S. workers to foreign countries or the profitability of multinational corporations. U.S. trade policy should be based on a general balance of trade among the U.S. and our partners. Negative foreign trade practices such as currency manipulation must be acknowledged and brought under control. I support targeted investment in U.S. infrastructure including our crumbling roads and bridges and improvements to our rail and air transportation systems. This would also include other public works-related updates to water and sewer systems and incentives for companies that generate electricity to upgrade the nation’s power grid for the demands of this century and beyond. I support treating American workers with as much respect as that shown corporate executives in the halls of Congress. We cannot backslide on U.S. workers’ right to organize to collectively bargain for wages, safety and benefits. Discrimination against any class of people in the workplace such as the lingering problem of women receiving less pay for the same work as men has no place in 21st century America. I also believe that the U.S. cannot abandon its historic commitment to federally funded basic research across government agencies and the nation’s universities. Today’s economic engines – such as the Internet – began, in part as government-sponsored research. Federal deficits and spending are also a concern. Easing the nation’s debt burden, however, cannot be placed squarely at the feet of the middle class and working poor in this country. Reforms to the nation’s tax code must put working people first. The tax code needs to be simplified. While earmarks have gone the way of the dinosaur in Washington, D.C., corporate lobbyists still flood Capitol Hill inserting a line here and a line there into the U.S. tax code granting tax breaks that have questionable greater economic benefit. Our government and its employees also need to be held to the highest standards of efficiency and customer service. There is no doubt that at a minimum there is still waste in our government. This waste – whether it is rooted in government purchasing or programs run amok – must be eradicated so that we can afford to make the investments that add to the prosperity and quality of life for all Americans."

Agriculture: "I support federal farm programs including the ending of direct payments to farmers and replacing it with a system of subsidized crop insurance. Our system of food in the U.S. not only serves our domestic population but feeds people all over the world. A crop insurance-based safety net for farmers is a reasonable public price to pay for protecting our agricultural communities from natural calamity and the worst economic times."

Women's interests: "A vocal band of far-right politicians in Washington (and Columbus) have chosen to use their political power to rollback time on the rights of women in the U.S. Attempts have been made to repeal the Lily Ledbetter Act which bans pay discrimination against women in the workplace and anti-choice amendments make their way into otherwise unrelated bills in Congress."

Healthcare: "Scott believes there is a moral and economic imperative to reform the nation’s healthcare system. He supports the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and believes that Republicans and Democrats should work together to fix the law rather than repeal or defund it."